Golden syrup isn’t an ingredient commonly used here in the U.S. However, it’s often essential to British cooking and baking, and it’s also used in some Chinese traditional desserts, like mooncakes.
Golden syrup is extremely easy to make at home, requiring just 3 common ingredients (regular sugar, water, and lemon juice), and very little active preparation.
What Is Golden Syrup?
Golden syrup, also known as light treacle in the U.K., is an inverted sugar syrup, made by either refining sugar or by adding acid to a sugar water solution. It has a beautiful amber color and a texture similar to honey.
Lyle’s Golden syrup has been sold in England since 1885, which I guess is why it’s so integral to British baking—as a glaze, sweetener, or even as a topping. The ingredient never really crossed the pond, however, as I know most Americans have never heard of it.
It’s also why I learned to make it myself at home. It’s not usually available in American grocery stores, and it can be pretty expensive online. Good thing the process is so easy!
The description of the syrup as “inverted” has something to do with how light passes through the mixture after it’s converted from pure sucrose into a mix of sucrose, fructose, and glucose. But that’s as much science as I’ll get into. Fun fact: I never passed Chemistry in college!
Using Golden Syrup in Chinese Baked Goods
The biggest reason why I’m posting this golden syrup recipe is because it plays an important role in making mooncakes, like my Lotus Mooncakes with Salted Egg Yolks, and my Ham & Nut Mooncakes.
Golden syrup is known as zhuǎnhuà tángjiāng (转化糖浆) in Mandarin, and it is key to giving traditional mooncakes their signature moisture, texture and flavor.
Just 3 Ingredients
While this golden syrup takes a little over an hour to make, the process really could not be simpler. You need just 3 ingredients and low heat.
Just leave the pot on the stove, and let the ingredients do their thing. You’re not even supposed to stir it, so you really can just set it and forget it until the hour of simmering is up!
Ok, let’s get into the recipe.
How to Make Golden Syrup: Instructions
Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
When the sugar solution begins to boil…
Pour in the lemon juice through a fine meshed strainer, and stir. Immediately turn the heat down to low.
Keep the lid off of the saucepan, set the timer for 60 minutes and let it simmer at low heat. Do NOT stir. The solution will first appear clear, and slowly turn pale yellow…
After 60 minutes, it will end up a golden/amber color:
After 60 minutes have elapsed, the liquid might look a bit thin. However, it will thicken to the consistency of honey once it cools.
Pour the warm syrup into a heatproof container, and let it cool completely before sealing and storing.
It will keep for at least a year at room temperature, as long as the container is sanitized, and you always use clean utensils when handling!
How to Make Golden Syrup
Ingredients
- 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- When the sugar solution begins to boil, pour in the lemon juice through a fine meshed strainer, and stir. Immediately turn the heat down to low.
- Keep the lid off of the saucepan, set the timer for 60 minutes and let it simmer at low heat. Do NOT stir. The solution will first appear clear, slowly turn pale yellow, and end up a golden/amber color after 60 minutes. After 60 minutes have elapsed, the liquid might look a bit thin. However, it will thicken to the consistency of honey once it cools.
- Pour the warm syrup into a heatproof container, and let it cool completely before sealing and storing. It will keep for at least a year, as long as you always use clean utensils when handling!
Franklin says
I put this in my iced tea and it was delicious! It’s a great change from regular sugar or honey
Judy says
Nice! I like that you are thinking out of the box :-)
Janis says
Not quite dark enough – a large plastic jar is dark enough we cannot really see through it. I’ll try to get you a photo. Nice idea for those that cannot just buy the product made from washing the raw sugar crystals I guess. I always take a couple of Golden Syrups back to the USA from Australia each trip. Like Tim Tams and Vegemite and Massel stock powder(3 flavours but all are vegetables only) some things cannot be replaced. Porridge is not porridge without Golden Syrup!
Janis says
Oh and of course it is THE ingredient in ANZAC cookies. Another item that cannot be replaced (like pavlova – although at least that is easy to make as are the Anzacs, in Ireland they kept tricking me by offering pavlova – which was MERINGUE not a pavlova – somehow they could not tell the difference)
Judy says
Thank you, Janis, for these golden syrup related baked goods :-) ANZAC cookies look really good to me.
Judy says
The first batch I made for the mooncakes was darker: (Lotus Mooncakes with Salted Egg Yolks). I do like this batch because it’s indeed golden :-)
Janis says
If you want the real stuff I could bring some to USA on my next trip – but we are not allowed to leave Australia until next year. I fly through LA some trips, San Fran rarely and Dallas sometimes. Otherwise it would be near Buffalo.
Judy says
Hahaha…Buffalo is the closest. But now that I have your recipe, I will make some since next year is too far away :-)
Lilyn says
Hi,
Can use this Golden Syrup instead of honey to marinate meat?
Thanks
Judy says
Hi Lilyn, it depends on the cooking method. Sugar burns more easily in the oven.
Doriet Janssen says
In Holland we melt the sugar until golden brown and then we pour hot water to the light brown meltet sugar and cook it untill it thickens so we see every country has his own recipe
Judy says
Hahaha…apparently:-)
RL Maiden says
Brilliant! Thanks!
Judy says
You are welcome, RL.
Dick Bothman says
excellent *****
Judy says
Thank you!
Lisa says
Yummy yummy yummy!
Growing up it was a favorite treat on hot biscuits!
** Generally I can generally find Lyle’s at Cost Plus/World Market
Judy says
I bet it’s really good on a hot buttery biscuit :-)
Joy Rudder says
This was a staple for us in Trinidad in the Caribbean. As former British colonies we had all this and more…so it did cross the pond…but not to America! MANY delicious Saturday mornings with home made, made from scratch pancakes had Tate and Lyle’s Golden syrup in a green tin with a gold lion with bees buzzing…a very clear childhood memory…I live in B.C., Canada now and look forward to making this….your recipes are amazing and i am so glad that a mysterious Chinese guy who I met one day while buying Chinese food gave me your beautiful website – thank you! JOY
Judy says
Thank you so much, Joy! And our big Thank You to the mysterious Chinese guy too :-)
Richard Francis Sequeira says
Dear Team WOL !
Peace be with you
I am based in Mumbai India . I have family in the USA .
The past 25 years I have been buying Golden Syrup in a small Green tin that was just 100 ml . It was the original from Britain. It cost me 3.50 Cents . I basically use it when I make Ice Cream as it is a secret ingredient to add to avoid ice crystals . Thanks to your super recipe at 10% of the cost !
Keep up the great posts with your super recipes . Do start you own YouTube Channel. You guys have a great love and passion to share your recipes and knowledge with others
God bless you and yours
Richard
Jenni says
So EASSSSSY!!!!! And Richard, I agree that a YouTube channel would be amazing, but I feel as though they would not have the time given how much detailed instruction goes into their recipes… I have a bookmarked folder just for the WOL recipes and probably half of a large binder full of printed recipes…. Undoubtly though, they would be rich, rich, rich if they YouTubed, but instead we are rich with delicious food due to WOL :-) Many blessings Richard, hope you and yours are happy and healthy :-)
Jenni
Judy says
Hi Richard, thank you so much for sharing the secret ingredient for making ice cream. We definitely have to try it.
Avonlm says
So grateful for this recipe! As a Canadian who has lived in the UK a couple of times Lyle’s Golden syrup is always a staple in the pantry. Having also lived in the US it always annoyed me that I had to pay $5 for 8 oz and personally I prefer Golden syrup to Corn syrup any day for pecan pies etc. Pinned for future use! PS. Your blog is amazing, you all do a terrific job of introducing Chinese/Asian recipes to a wider audience and preserving those recipes for Canadian/ American Chinese as well. Many thanks!
Leopard says
Mmmm! Pecan pie! I will be trying that.
Judy says
Pecan pie is Bill’s favorite!
Judy says
Thank you so much for your generous comment, Avonlm.